Surname Clewis - Meaning and Origin

Clewis: What does the surname Clewis mean?

The surname Clewis has origins in the Old French language, derived from the personal name "Louis." Over time, this name was anglicized and adapted to various forms and spellings including Lewis, Louis, Lewes, and eventually, Clewis. This change likely occurred when French speaking individuals immigrated to English-speaking regions and slowly modified the pronunciation and the writing of their names to adapt it into their new cultural context. Thus, Clewis is one of the numerous variations of the name Louis. Louis itself has a meaning linked to famous warrior or renowned warrior, originating from the merging of the Germanic elements "hlud" meaning fame and "wig" meaning war. It's important to note that surnames often connect to geographical, occupational or familial origins, so the literal meaning might be different from the cultural or historical significance to the family that carries this surname.

Clewis: Where does the name Clewis come from?

The surname Clewis is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from an Old English personal name, possibly "Cleowis". It can be classified as a patronymic surname, passing from the given name of the father down to his descendants. The prefix "Cle-" is typically originated from Old English "Clif", which means a cliff or a hill, while the suffix "-wis" could come from "wīse", meaning a way or path, or could be a utilisation of the patronymic suffix "-s". Hence, Clewis could mean the "son of Cleowis" or "the one from the path of the cliff". Due to migrations and civil movements over the centuries, such surnames have spread across continents and today can be found in several countries. The Clewis surname is most prevalent in the United States, with a slightly higher concentration in North Carolina. Other regions with a significant number of individuals bearing the Clewis surname include Canada, England, Australia, and New Zealand.

Variations of the surname Clewis

The surname Clewis likely has British origin, and variants of the name could potentially include Lewis, Clewes, Clews, Clowes, Clows and Clewiss. In some cases, "K" might be a prefix to the surname transforming it into Kclewis or Kclewiss.

This surname could also have more spellings such as Clouis or Clowis, especially in the French context. A renowned person who carried a similar surname includes Rene Clous, the French artist.

Furthermore, the surname "Lewis" which sounds phonetically similar to Clewis, has Welsh origins. Therefore, Clewis might sometimes date back to the "Wales" variant of "Lewis" which could have been spelled originally as "Llewys".

Another potential variation could have been culminated from the merging of two separate surnames "Cleve" and "Lewis", giving rise to "Clewis". "Cleve" in Old English meant cliff or hill, whereas "Lewis" was a patronymic surname meaning "famous in war".

The analysis of spellings and components of the surname provides clues to understand its origins and can indicate the kind of transformation it may have undergone over time.

Famous people with the name Clewis

1.Brian Clewis: professional football player who spent his entire career with the Oakland Raiders. 2.Lemuel Clewis: Major League Baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs. 3.Tiger Clewis: former professional boxer who held the Welterweight title five different times. 4.Arlan Clewis: Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox. 5.Jurnell Clewis: professional football player, who was a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. 6.Dave Clewis: former linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. 7.Cody Clewis: professional hockey player, who played mainly for the Chicago Blackhawks. 8.Lavon Clewis: former professional basketball player who played for the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors. 9.Earl Clewis: professional baseball player, who played mainly for the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox. 10.Joey Clewis: current professional NASCAR driver, who races for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Other surnames

Clewinghaus